Listen Up: The Finnegans

Aug. 30, 2007 4:39 PM

The Finnegans, of Fond du Lac, from left, Dan Shapiro, Max Reilly, Josh Huval, Mike Wells and Justin Harris, fuse Irish music, folk music, country and old-school punk rock to play a style of music similar to bands like Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly and The Pogues. (Submitted photo)

Here's the story: After Shapiro and Harris' punk bands broke up about two years ago, they were both looking for a new project.

"We wanted to start something different that we haven't really seen in the Fond du Lac area," Wells said.

So the duo recruited some friends and formed The Finnegans, a distinctive fusion of Irish music, folk music, country and old-school punk rock.

The different styles of music did not blend easily at first, but soon the band found its sound.

"At first, we were just trying to somehow fuse the folk instruments into punk rock and now it's more like we're writing folk and country songs and putting punk into it," Wells said.

Some of the songs even have a bluegrass feel, he said.

With their depth in style, The Finnegans have been able to win over fans of all the genres they borrow from.

"We have a pretty good following. People like it a lot," Wells said, adding that their fans include everyone from the "older fans" in the folk scene to their friends at Fond du Lac High School, where they are sophomores and juniors.

While Wells said the band prefers the atmosphere of a good punk show to the more laid back ambience of a folk show, there are some advantages to playing outside the rowdy punk rock scene.

"You don't get hit in the face a lot," he said.

The group hopes to record their first album within the next few months and in the meantime will keep winning over as many new fans as they can.